Filler cap assembly



Nov. 4, 1952 w. B. cONDlT ETAL FILLER CAP ASSEMBLY 2 SHEETS--SHEET lFiled March 20, 1950 me/www w/LLIAM B. COND/T ff DELMOND L GETZATTORNEYS NOV. 4, 1952 W B, CONDlT ETAL V2,616,585

I FILLER CAP ASSEMBLY Filed March 20, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 gwuwwtw/WILL/AM. B. COND/T DELMOND L. GETZ ATTO R N EYS Patented Nov. 4, 1952UNITED STAT ELS FILLER CAP ASSEMBLY William- B. Condit and DelmondfL.Getz, Springeld'-,` Ohio, assignors to The Steel- Products'EngineeringCompany, Springfield, Ohio a cor `4 poration ,ofLOhioApplication Mrchfi), 1950, SerialNo. 150,688?.

2- ClaimS'.- (C1. 22B-25) This invention rela-tes to ller` capassembliesadapted for useA withv fuel tanks and other containers-whereinthe interiorA of the container is under pressure, such for example asthecaseof fuel-tanks for airplanes, and more particularly to` an assemblyof this character which includes a closureadapted -to seat on the rimoftheinlet opening of the container and a clamp adaptedv to engage theunder side of the rim tosecure the closure' in sealingposition.

One of the principal objectsof the inventicn'is to provide a filler capassemblyof this character which is simple in construction andoperation', which will retain the desired seal on the container underpositive pressures, and wherein the clamp is threaded onastud extendingthrough the closure and provided with an op erating handle which servesalso asf the cover for. the assembly and is effective to rotatev thestud in order to produce relative clamping or un clamping movement oftheclosure and clamp as desired.

It is also anobject of thelinvention to provide such a ller cap assemblywhereinA the cover which forms the operating handle is shiftable betweena raisedposition for'operation-and a retracted position closelyadjacent. the` closure in order to facilitate.themountingpfc theassembly in flush relation .with the. surrounding sur-` face of thecontainertoI give minimumwind resistance for installations.. suchastheWingv tanks of an airplane.

Other objects and advantages .of .the-invention will be apparent fromthe following. description. the accompanying drawingsand theappendedclaims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a View in vertical section .of aiiller` capassembly in accordance with thev invention.

showing the closure member thereof in .sealing position and with thecover or handle retracted;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the.

handle raisedfor operation and the assembly'released preparatory toremoval;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating the operation of the assembly;

Fig. Llis an elevationalview of the assembly from the under sidethereof;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View of the` adapterl for the assembly; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary viewtaken approximately. as indicatedby thelineY 6--6 in Fig. 2. Referringto the drawings, which illustrate apreferred embodiment, of.. the invention,

the adapter. I 0 isformed. of sheet metaL- and its -pe riphe'ral portionis Aa'daptedto Vbe welded `or Votherwise secured toa container such asthe fuel tankl of an aircraftor vother vehicle. The adapter includes anIannular rim II Whichis located below the upper level of the adapter andsurrounds thelling opening.' Between4 the outerportion of the adapter ofthe/rim'I I is'an'annular'grooveH or recess I2, and this"recessed innerportion' ofv riml II is turned downto provide'aiiange I3 ex'-tendinginwardly of the'fillin'g opening. y

The main closure member I 5 yis generallycupshaped and includesaturned-over'rim'portion' I5" serving as a retainer for Aan annulargasket IT adapted to seat on the rim" II to' seal the filling opening.Anf operating stud 20 having'a threadedv lower portion extends 'througha" central opening in closure member I5, and a thrust washer 2I7ispositioned between they upper surface of closure' member i 5 andA acircumferential shoulder 22 on stud 2t; of channeled cross sections-carried'byl a nut 26 threaded on stud 2G and having' its upper'endpeened to clamp 25 and a pin'` 2'! is secured in the lower end of thestud to limit relative'unscrewing of the stud and nut. The opening in'closure member I5 through which stud 2l) extends is sealedby'meansfof arubber O-ringl 30 heldin position .by a thrust washer 3l and a springpositioned between washer 3I and the upper surface ofV clamp 25.`

The'clamp 25 is adapted to engagetheV lower rim of the ange portion I3of Y adapter I0, and

thus when the stud 2B is rotated, the closure member I5and nut 26 willbeedrawn'together to clamp the gasket I'I against the rim I I. ingly,theY stud 20 is providedwith an operating handle 33 .which formsaLcoverfor the'assembly` and is connected with .stud 20 through alocking' stud35 to which cover. 33 is welded Aor otherwiseY permanentlysecured at- 36v and which forms a stem for. the cover. The upper'endbfstud 2Dv is provided-with a central bore for receiving theM stud 35,-and av spring 3'I` is located in' this bore to bias'stud Y35 and cover33 upwardly.

The locking stud 35 isprovided with bayonetn slots dei ineither'sidethereof, and these'slo'ts receive 1a pair Aof pins'42extending through the wall of stud 20 and held in`position by means of acollar 44 pressed over the'upper'end'of stud V'2li' and held thereon bymeans of va set'screw 45 (Fig. 6). The pins 42 thus cooperate with slots4U to form a driving connection between the studs 20 and 35, and the'slots are in turn vso arranged that when the pins-are'in 'the shortervportion "thereof,

the handllor cover 33fwill beheldirr retracted A double-armed clampingmember 25` position wherein it is received within the recess l2 with itsupper surface substantially flush with the surrounding surface ofadapter I0. When the pins are located in the longer portion of theslots, the cover is free to rise under the biasing force of spring 31 tothe full extent permitted by the slots 40, as shown in Fig. 2.

The rim Il is provided with a pair of slots 5G in the inner portionthereof which extend through the ange I3 to receive the ends of theclamp arms 25. Each slot 50 terminates in a shoulder or stop 5| at oneend, and at the opposite end of the slot, the lower edge of the ange i3is curved downwardly to form an inclined cam portion 52 leading to anotch 55 sufliciently wide to receive the outer ends of the clamp arms25 therein. Each notch 55 terminates at one end in a shoulder or stop56, and at its other end the notch is connected with cam 52 by a roundedshoulder 51. It will also be noted that the entire cap assembly isloosely attached to the adapter for safety purposes by means of a chain60 secured at one end to the adapter I by means of a welded eyelet 6Iand having its other end connected to the stud 25 by means of a safetypin 62.

Fig. 1 shows the assembly in clos-ed and sealed position, with the endsof the clamp arms 25 engaging the lower rim of flange I3 and seatedwithin the notches 55. The nut 25 is in raised position with respect tooperating stud 2i), and the shoulder 22 and thrust washer 2| on the studhold the closure member l down to seal the gasket I1 against the rim ll,the rim parts l2 and I3 being thus effectively clamped loetween theclosure member I5 and the clamp 25. Also, the cover 33 is in itslowermost position wherein the pins 42 are engaged in the shorter legsof the bayonet slots 40, and it will be noted that in this position, theupper surface of the cover 33 is substantially flush with thesurrounding ange portion of the adapter and thus with the surroundingsurface of the `tank on which the assembly is mounted.

In order to open the assembly, the first step is to press down on cover33 and rotate it to a sufficient extent to effect relative shifting ofthe from rotation by their engagement in the notches 55. -If there ispositive pressure within the container, the closure member will liftaway from rim il as shown in Fig. 3, and then as soon as the unscrewinghas proceeded sufciently to permit the clamp arm-s to clear thesenotches, the clamp also rotates until its arms strike the shoulders 5I.Since in this position, the clamp arms are aligned with the slots 50,the assembly can then be lifted out of the adapter.

To mount the assembly in sealing position, the reverse procedure isfollowed. The unit is set in place by inserting the clamp arms throughthe slo-ts 50 an-d then rotating the cover 33 in clockwise direction asviewed from above. The clamp 25 will also turn until its arms strike theshoulders 56 at the ends of the notches 55, which will act as stopsholding the clamp, the stud 2t and nut 26 being so proportioned thatwhen they are relatively unscrewed to the limit permitted by pin 21, theclamp arms will clear shoulders 51 but will strike shoulders 56.Continued rotation of the cover will cause the operating stud 20 to movedownwardly with respect to nut 26 and thus to draw the closure member i5and clamp 25 together into sealing position, with the ends of the clamparms being tightened in seated position within the notches 55 to effectdefinite positioning of the clamp when the cap is under pressure andthus to prevent possible vibration of the clamp in such manner that itmight twist back to its release position in alignment with the slots 50.The final step in the closing operation is to press cover 33 downwardlyagainst spring 31 and twist it sufficiently to lock the pins 42 in theshorter legs of the bay-onet slots 40.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a simple fillercap assembly which has been found highly suitable for uses such as withthe fuel tanks of aircraft iand other vehicles. An assembly constructedas described and shown has been found fully satisfactory for use withthe fuel tanks of military aircraft under tests covering a Wide range ofservice conditions, including leakage, vibration and guniire attemperatures as low as minus '10Q F. land pressures ranging from 15 to35 pounds per square inch. The flush type mounting with the adapter itas described is particularly useful for installations such as on Wingfuel tanks -of aircraft, since it provides minimum resistance to airflow as a result of the substantial absence of projecting parts.

Reference is made to the copending applications of L. E. Rausenberger,Serial No. 150,655, and L. E. Rausenberger and D. L. Getz, Serial No.150,656, filed of even date herewith and assigned to the same assigneeas this application.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferredembodiment o-i' the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes maybe made therein without departing from the scope of the invention whichis dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A filler cap assembly for the inlet of a container to retain positivepressure on the contents thereof, comprising an adapter including anannular rim defining an inlet opening, a closure adapted to seat on theupper surface of said rim to close said opening, a threaded studextending through said closure and having thereon a shoulder adapted toengage the upper surface of said closure, a clamp threaded on the lowerportion of said stud and adapted for positive clamping engagement withthe under side of said rim upon rotational movement of said stud toclamp said rim between said clamp and said closure, said stud having ahollow bore in the upper end thereof, a handle having a stem slidablyreceived within said bore, a spring mounted within said bore for biasingsaid stem and handle upwardly to a raised position, means forming adriving interconnection between said stem and said stud to rotate saidstud and thus to effect said clamping and unclamping movement of saidclamp in response to rotational movement of said cover, said handlebeing compressible against said spring to a retracted position, `andmeans for releasably securing said handle in said retracted position.

2. A filler cap assembly for the inlet of a container to retain positivepressure on the contents thereof, comprising an adapter including anannular rim dening .an inlet opening, a closure adapted to seat on theupper surface of said rim to close sai-d opening, 'a threaded studextending through said elo-sure and having thereon a shoulder adapted toengage the upper surf-ace of said closure, a clamp threaded on the lowerportion of sa'id stud and adapted for positive clamping engagement withthe under side of said rim upon rotational movement of said stud toclamp said rim between said clamp and said closure, said stud having .ahollow bore in the upper end thereof, a handle having a, stem slidablyreceived within said bore, a spring mounted Within said bore for biasingsaid stem and handle upwardly to a raised position, said handle beingcom-pressible against said spring to la retracted position, said stemhaving a slot in the outer surface thereof, a projection on said studengaging in said slot to limit relative axial movement of said stem andstud and to form with said slot a driving interconnection for rotatingsaid stud to effect said clamping and un-clamping movement of said clampin response to rota-tional movement of said cover, and said slotincluding -a laterally offset position cooperating With said projectionto secure said handle in said retracted position.

WILLIAM B. CONDIT. DELMOND L. GETZ.

CII

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

